Adventures of a Jewelry Store Owner
by NateSean
Summary: The Immortal Jewelry Store Owner from the oneshot fic, For My True Love stars in his very own story! Follow the adventures of an Immortal who must face his greatest challenge ever: Mastering the modern computer.
1. A Slow Day at the Shop

A/N: It'll be a while before I can finish Away From the Sun. In the meantime, I decided to post a story about the jewelry store owner from a previous story. Enjoy.

**Adventures of a Jewelry Store Dealer  
**

Chapter One  
A Slow Day at the Shop

A newspaper slammed into the glass door of the shop, startling Rex. Aside from the howling wind outside it was the first bit of noise he'd heard all morning.

"Damned weather," he mumbled.

He went back to his books, subtracting the expenses and adding the profits for the week.

The store was doing remarkably well this winter. Tourists were coming from every corner of the country, many of whom had heard of his store through past customers.

Rex was amazed at how swiftly word of mouth passed in this day and age, and wondered if exploring the option of a website wouldn't be such a bad idea. Many of his colleagues used the Internet for their business and the investment more than paid for itself. He wouldn't have to pay much, he figured. All he needed was to find some computer-savvy kid who wanted to make a quick buck. Maybe he'd even take one of the offered courses at the vocational center so he could become more familiar with modern technology. A computer was quite a stretch from the typewriters he was used to. For that matter, even the computers that were coming out in the late seventies-to-eighties were quite archaic compared to these smaller, faster devices.

When he'd finished the adding and subtracting Rex took a good look around the store. Using a bottle full of hot water and vinegar, he wiped down the glass cases full of his diamonds and precious stones. He'd learned that a customer of his was quite allergic to the stronger chemical cleaners, and since vinegar did the trick just as well as any store bought agent, Rex made the switch.

The floor was quite muddy from people tracking mud and wet snow. But since most of them were paying customers he didn't complain. A quick run over with the mop and hot water now and he'd arrange to have the floors buffered later in the week.

When he the cleaning was done he went into the cases and lightly dusted some of the larger pieces. The three-stone diamond engagement rings in their cases, the ruby necklaces, the birthstone rings and pendants glimmered beautifully beneath the light of the bulbs. When they were sufficiently cleaned Rex checked each light bulb to see that it was working. One of them sputtered as he clicked it on and off and he made a note to buy replacements when he made his trip to the bank.

A sound even louder than the wind itself got Rex's attention. He was long overdue for a lunch break. He grabbed his coat, locked up the register and placed the Out to Lunch sign on the door.

The BLT and fries at Marky's Diner hit the spot quite nicely. So far Marky's was the only place one could go if you didn't want to find any of that healthy garbage. Turkey bacon wasn't bad, but this new low-fat soy bacon was absolutely awful.

It was still windy out so instead of his usual after lunch walk, Rex drove out to the vocational center. It was attached to the high school and although it made him nervous to enter the grounds, he assumed most of the students would be in their classes now.

Fortunately, the vocational center had its own entrance and the registration area was just across from the entrance, and he was spared the horror of getting lost among teenagers.

A secretary looked up from her work as he approached and slid the glass partition open. She had been typing on one of those popular computers advertised on television. It seemed everyone was on the ball with these things.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh, yes," Rex said, feeling awkward. "I'm curious about some of the computer related courses being offered."

"Okay. Let me call the vocational supervisor and she can help you."

A few minutes later a woman emerged from the office. She was a bit older than the secretary and around Rex's age. Her clean cut clothing and her sharp smile boasted of confidence and intelligence that both impressed and intimidated Rex. She took him to her office and introduced herself as Paula Stevens.

"So, Mr. Shepard," she said, gesturing to the seat across from hers. "I understand you wish to take some night courses."

"Yes," Rex nodded, returning the warm smile. "I've been running my own business for about ten years now and I feel it's time to join the twenty-first century so to speak."

"That's very sensible. Well, we offer a range of courses. There's word processing, Microsoft Office, computer programming and a computer and Internet literacy class that explains the basics."

Rex considered this for a moment and shrugged nervously.

"I honestly don't know where to begin," he said, apologetically. "It must be hard to believe that someone could find this very confusing.

"Not at all, Mr. Shepard," Paula replied. "You may not believe it yourself, but I wasn't very familiar with all of this ten years ago. I actually had to go back to college to learn it again and even now I'm just as baffled."

"The technology changes faster than we do," Rex mused.

"Exactly."

Paula turned to her computer and scanned through the courses.

"What if we start you off with a basic computer and Internet literacy course? Then we'll set you up with word processing, which is self paced so you can go at your own speed."

"That's fine."

Paula typed a few more things into the computer and gave Rex some forms to fill out. He had to return to the store, so he brought most of it with him.

The forms asked all questions like current level of education, social security, payment options and other bits of information that would be included in the database. It made Rex nervous as he filled it out, knowing that most of it was falsified. But on the positive side it would give Raymond Shepard a more tangible existence, which he desperately needed in this day and age where what you knew simply wasn't enough to get by.

Most of the kids who went to that high school had to fill out twice as many forms as he did as a teenager. It was no wonder they suffered personality problems. The struggle to find a unique identity under such a stringent classification process was truly a mentally tasking lifestyle.

"Adapt and overcome," His friend and mentor Marcus always said. "Or you can loose your head."

_Well, _Rex thought. _At least I am adapting. That doesn't mean I'll overcome. _


	2. The First Day of Class

**Chapter Two  
****First Day of Class**

The date of the first class fell on a Thursday at eight o'clock. The store was usually open until ten o'clock that night, but Rex decided this was worth the investment in time. So for the first time in ten years, he closed early.

The drive to the school felt odd during mid-winter's early nightfall. Rex always tried to be home when it was dark, fearing the dangers of being out alone. But it wasn't very practical. After all, danger didn't obey schedules…not the kind of danger he had in mind anyhow.

He was surprised at how few parking spaces were available. There was a basketball game being held and the vehicles of the spectators filled the parking lot, along with two busses belonging to the visiting team's school.

Rex was resentful at first, until he remembered his own high school days. The thrill of fierce competition was what gave a student pride in his school. Resentment turned into consternation as he discovered the only parking space was near the woods.

For a moment he considered calling the whole thing off. Just pull out, drive away and no one would be the wiser. He'd make his apologies to the instructor next week, when there were certain to be more parking spaces. But a guilty conscience pecked at his ears like an annoying little bird, telling him to overcome his fears and superstitions and get the little bit of education that would make his business more successful.

Rex took a deep breath and stepped out. The parking lot was well salted but with the rain and snowfall of the last few days that still left the slush, which never seemed to go away. Rex spent a few seconds wiping his feet on the rubber mats inside the doors.

He found the classroom without a problem and stood just inside the entrance for a moment. The computers were arranged along the wall so whichever way you turned you could see the animated symbol bouncing off the sides of the screen. Office chairs, the instructor's desk and a rectangle table in the center of the room were the only other pieces of furniture.

"Can I help you?"

Rex turned around and saw a woman standing in the doorway. She wore light gray khakis, a wool sweater with a flower pattern and wire-rimmed glasses that made her seem somewhat owlish. Her face was lined with years of experience and something about the look in her eyes gave her a sense of familiarity that Rex couldn't place.

"Yes," Rex said. "I am here for the Computer Literacy course."

"Okay. And you are?"

"Shepard. Raymond Shepard." Rex was used to his alias so that he didn't stammer on it so much.

"Pleased to meet you Mr. Shepard, I'm Mollie Sherman; I'll be your instructor."

Mollie went to her desk and began moving the little device attached to her computer.

"Did you have a hard time finding parking, Mr. Shepard?"

"A little," Rex said. "But nothing I haven't dealt with before. Big game tonight?"

"Not this time. This is only one of the little ones they play until they get to the big one. Unfortunately they still haven't expanded that parking lot. So, I have to apologize for any inconvenience."

Rex smiled warmly.

"May I sit down at any one or is there a process?"

"I need to set up an account for you," Mollie answered. "The computers are on a network, so once you have your account set up you can access your work from any terminal in the center."

"Amazing," Rex said sincerely. "I remember when it was just a piece of paper and a manila folder."

Mollie smiled. A few minutes later she handed him a piece of paper with his "username" and password.

Rex draped his coat over one of the office chairs, careful to keep his weapons concealed. As he sat down he tried to make sense of the subtle complexities of the machine in front of him.

The little symbol was still bouncing around on the screen. Beneath the table that supported the screen was a larger, elaborately colored object with buttons, blinking lights and holes that emitted a soft hum. The only thing he recognized was the keyboard, which wasn't so different from the typewriters he was familiar with.

Rex looked around as the other students sat down and watched as they moved a smaller device to clear the screen. He found his resting on the little pad next to the keyboard. Mollie must have sensed his confusion, so she came over and leaned in.

"Need some help?" She asked, keeping her voice low.

"Er…just a little," Rex answered, blushing.

Mollie leaned over and moved the mouse. The bouncing symbol was replaced by a blue background with a box that read:

Press Ctl. Alt. Del to Begin.

"Eh…" Rex felt more than a little awkward. He stared at the keyboard, trying to find the keys it specified.

"Don't worry," Mollie said. "I'm going to get everyone oriented so you won't feel weird."

Mollie went to the center of the room and called everyone's attention. Rex turned in his chair and gave her his full focus. As she gave an introductory speech, Rex cast occasional glances at the rest of his classmates, noticing that most of them were his age or "older".

"I'd like to welcome you all to this class. In this day and age computer knowledge can be as valuable now as typing skills were about a century ago. I want to assure you that I, like you, had to learn more about these things as they became a part of the teaching environment. Back when I was teaching students to use the typewriter-"

Rex lost the rest of Mollie's speech as he tried to remember where he'd seen her before. As she stood there, trying to downplay the confusion and insecurities of the uninitiated members of the twenty-first century, her name and voice seemed to recall old memories. The way she gestured, her hands moving about emphatically as she spoke, also seemed familiar.

"_In this day and age, typing can be as valuable a skill now as it was a quarter of a century ago," Mrs. Kepler said as she walked around the room. A couple of the girls who had been chattering quieted down as she came near. "I want to assure you that I, like you, had to learn more about these things when I went to college. Back then they didn't run on electricity and you had to lug it around with you from classroom to classroom. These electronic devices that you'll be using aren't quite as problematic and at least you won't have to pay for yours like I did. But trust me-"_

"-when you become more familiar with your computer it won't be as daunting as it was before." Mollie stopped and looked at the students. "Now, who here is truly a beginner."

Rex raised his hand along with four others. Among them was a woman in her mid-thirties, who seemed just as embarrassed to admit her ignorance as he was.


	3. Close Calls and Crow's Feet

Chapter Three  
Close Calls and Crows Feet

True to Mollie's word, the computer wasn't nearly as intimidating now. Rex was confident that he could accurately describe a "mouse" in the little lines beneath the term on the vocabulary worksheet. He placed the paper in his pocket when he heard Mollie's voice again.

"Mr. Shepard?"

Rex stopped a few paces from the exit and turned to see Mollie trying to catch up with him. Did she suspect something? His heart raced but he waited to find out.

"Hello, Mrs. Sherman," he said, politely. "What can I do for you?"

Mollie stopped and regarded Rex with an odd expression. It made him nervous.

"Do I…know you from somewhere?" she asked, finally.

"Well, I own a jewelry store out on the outskirts," Rex said. "It is a small town; it's possible we've run into each other before."

"I don't think I've seen you in town before. You just remind me of someone I knew back in…oh, well. Everyone has a twin I guess."

She still seemed uncertain and Rex wasn't sure what else to say.

"May I walk you to your car?" He asked.

"My husband drove me here. He's picking me up shortly," Mollie said. A moment of silence later, "Wait a second…"

"What's wrong?"

Mollie shook her head.

"Something you said a second ago." She had to think about it more.

Rex realized how dangerous it was to give her time. He grasped at the first thing that came to mind.

"Have you been teaching long?"

"What, oh, about forty years."

She stammered a bit as her train of through was interrupted. Rex made a note of it.

"Well, it certainly shows," he complimented her. "The more you taught us the less terrified I became of the computer."

"I'm glad you feel that way. I don't get many compliments from my students, even the adult ones."

A car horn ended the conversation and Mollie bid a good weekend. Rex heaved a sigh of relief.

By now he was ready to put the night behind him, when something else caught his eye. It was the younger woman from his class. She was looking at the bulletin board in the lobby: the peg board with all of the want ads posted.

_Young enough to be your daughter, _Rex chided himself.

She was quite attractive, of course and she wore a faded yellow dress that seemed to contrast the modern dress styles of most women her age. It had been over a decade since Rex had seen a girl wearing a dress, outside of a wedding or other formal occasion. Her sneakers were the only oddity about the uniform, although their worn and tattered look was consistent with the shape of the dress.

Rex was about to leave the building, but the bird nibbled again. He sighed. Wasn't one close call bad enough?

"Uh…excuse me?" He asked, approaching the woman slowly so as not to be threatening.

The woman looked at him. At the closer glance Rex noticed the crow's feet and darkened circles beneath her eyes.

"I was just wondering do you have a way to get home tonight?"

The woman shrugged.

"I usually just walk. My house isn't that far."

"Where is it, may I ask."

She told him. Rex's jaw dropped.

"Forgive me, but that doesn't seem like a short walk," he said. "May I offer you a ride home? It'd be much safer on a night like this."

The woman stared at him blankly. Rex understood if she was reluctant. After all, chivalry was a dying art these days and whenever a man used it he usually wanted something in return. The only thing Rex wanted was a clear conscience.

"Sure," the woman said finally.

The drive was silent. Rex put on some classical music to place her at ease.

"I'm Susan," she said, finally.

"Raymond," Rex offered took her offered hand briefly.

"Thanks for the ride."

"You're quite welcome."

"Sorry if I seemed rude. It's just…a lot of guys usually want something in return and I…" she trailed off and looked out the window.

Street lights illuminated the droplets of water collecting on the windows as a light rain fell. There'd be ice tomorrow.

Rex tried to think of something to say. There were a million questions he could ask, but he didn't want to upset her. He dropped her off at her trailer, located just a few miles outside the city.

_Isn't that far, _Rex thought with pity.

For now his conscience was appeased. He did his good deed and all was right with the world. Now would have been as good a time as any not to get involved any further. But it would never end like that.

_Oh, Marcus, _he thought. _How I could use your wisdom now, old friend._


	4. The Best Resume Yet

Chapter Four  
The Best Resume Yet

Rex finished the vocabulary worksheet in between customers. He was amazed at how simple all of the jargon was, and how quickly he was picking it up.

He spent the weekend working on new ring pieces for the upcoming Valentine's Day, staying up late hours and getting up early to make his planned quota. The order of stones came in late on Tuesday evening, which made him another half-hour late for class.

"Mr. Shepard," Mollie said as he rushed in the door and handed her the homework assignment. "I was beginning to think you weren't showing up."

"Terribly sorry," he apologized, feeling like a teenager again. "I had some trouble at the shop."

"That's quite all right. We started with the basic functions of the computer and now we're working on some typing skills on the word processor." Mollie looked around the classroom. "Ah, Susan. Would you care to help Mr. Shepard catch up?"

Susan looked up from her computer and smiled. She still wore clothes that might have come right from a goodwill bin, including those awful shoes, but her demeanor was quite different. As she walked Rex through the paint, My Computer and the other icons, he got the impression she was being particularly cheerful.

This time, when Rex left he made a stop in the restroom, timing it so Mollie would likely be out the door before she could stop him to grill him for more information. When he was sure it was safe he made his way for the exit. In the lobby he saw Susan looking at the job descriptions again and offered her a ride home.

"Thank you for your help today," Rex said, sincerely. "I haven't shown up late for a class in…well, never."

Susan laughed. It was a startling, yet pleasant change from the reclusive woman he met last week.

"Not a problem," she said, still beaming. "You helped me last week and I figured this would be a good way to return the favor."

Rex shrugged it off as he stopped at a red light.

"You seem to be picking things up quickly," he said.

"My neighbor lets me use his computer to practice on."

In spite of her cheerfulness, there was no doubt Susan was in a difficult situation. Old clothing a maximum security prisoner would never have to wear, having to walk so far to get a little job skill training. Rex wondered how he could find out more, without seeming snobbish. As he pulled into the trailer park, an idea occurred to him, but he didn't voice it just yet.

It was an idea that should have occurred to him sooner. Whenever he had to close the shop for a week so he could take an important business trips, it would have been smarter to have someone watching the shop so he wouldn't lose a potential profit. Or on the days when he was simply not feeling well and needed to take a break from the diamond saw and the molding equipment.

There was something else to consider. Eventually Rex would have to "die". It would be nice to have someone to leave the shop to instead of letting it die with him.

A voice of logic even louder and more overbearing than the chirp of conscience filled his ears.

_You don't know the girl, _It said. _These days are different. You don't know the kind of person she is or why she's in her situation. Perhaps she's a drug addict, did you ever think of that? You'd be providing her with all of the habit supporting money she'd ever need._

Rex pushed it aside. Of course he wouldn't just hand the keys over to her. In fact until he knew it would work out he wouldn't even leave the shop. Nothing would be different until he knew for certain. But if it didn't work out, at least his conscience would leave him alone as it sulked in its corner where he tried to banish it before.

Thursday he spent his lunch break running errands all over the Northeast Kingdom, managing to sneak in a bite at the diner between stops. Dropping off advertisements for the Valentine's Day specials at the newspaper, making arrangements with his travel agent for the summer months, and stopping by the YMCA to find out when the next self-defense class was being offered. He even managed to stop by the vocational center to complete a very special errand, before returning to the shop.

When class let out, Rex went through the motions of avoiding Mollie again. Only this time he took a walk around the school grounds, wanting to avoid a pattern as much as possible. Patterns can be observed and then predicted, Marcus always told him. Improvise as often as you can and use every possible advantage.

At the moment Rex had only one advantage. For the first time in ten years he was truly comfortable with the fact that Mollie Sherman would not be around that long. In a century or so he would never have to worry about people recognizing him or connecting him with people they knew.

"Raymond?" Someone called, breaking him from his musings.

He looked up and saw Susan approaching him. She was wearing a sweater and jeans that at least seemed partially new, but they were both very thin and she shivered. He thought she was about to ask for another ride, but then he noticed the 3x5 card in her hand.

"I didn't know you owned your own store," she said. Not a request, just conversation.

"Shepard's Jewelers," Rex said in response. "I've had it for about ten years now."

"Wow."

Susan fell into step beside him as he continued his walk. He half expected her to question what he was doing out this late, but it never came.

"I could never imagine running my own business," she went on. "The last time I had a steady job was at a McDonalds over twenty years ago. I've been getting work on and off since then but my skills are just too weak."

"You'd probably do well if someone were willing to teach you."

Rex waited as the suggestion hung in the air. Susan seemed deep in thought. Then she said, "If you're offering a job, I'd like to apply for it. I mean, I don't have a car or any other reliable transportation but you know that. And my history isn't something to brag about either…"

"You don't know much more than I do," Rex said, sincerely. "As far as I can tell, you have the best resume I've ever seen. When can you start?"


End file.
